CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The No. 8 Old Dominion University field hockey team fell at No. 1 North Carolina on Friday night, 3-2, in front of 887 fans at Francis E. Henry Stadium.

After fending off North Carolina’s early offensive attacks, redshirt senior goalie Marla Petriello collected four early saves and ODU looked to take the lead on their first penalty corner of the game but the goal was overruled off a foot deflection. Back-to-back penalty corners by UNC would then give the Tar Heels a 1-0 lead when Samantha Travers blasted a goal past the Lady Monarch defense in the 16th minute.

Old Dominion (3-3) wasted little time responding on their second penalty corner of the game. The initial shot by freshman Sarah Breen was saved but sophomore Rosario Villagra collected the rebound and put it past UNC goalie Sassi Ammer to tie the game up midway through the first half.

Down a player after UNC was awarded a green card, ODU had a costly turnover in their own end that the Tar Heels took advantage of when Jackie Radvany roped the ball past everyone on the defense in the 24th minute to go back in front, 2-1.

Defense dominated much of the second half early on. UNC was able to break through in the 56th minute when Charlotte Craddock dribbled past the ODU defense and was temporarily stopped by Petriello who came out of the goal but Craddock was able to re-gain possession and slip it inside the cage to make it 3-1.

The Lady Monarchs pushed late and were finally able to break through after three consecutive penalty corners. On a fourth shot attempt, sophomore Lydia Velzian’s shot was deflected in by redshirt junior Christy Longacre past Ammer for the goal with 1:09 to play. ODU was not able to get another shot off before time expired.

North Carolina (6-1) had the edge in penalty corners (8-6), shots (15-13) while Petrillo collected six saves and Ammer tallied five.

Old Dominion returns to action on Sunday when they face No. 17 Duke (3-4) in Durham at 1 p.m.

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